Rainforest: Roads for species conservation?

Senckenberg scientists have studied the impact of old forest roads on the species diversity in the rainforest of Central Guyana. They reached the conclusion that the established roads may be of use for amphibians and should therefore not necessarily be closed or restored to their natural state. For example, ruts in the roads filled with accumulated water can serve as spawning grounds for frogs during dry periods. The study was recently published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. Brown corridors traversing the otherwise lush green: As a rule, roads that cut through the rainforest are not a pleasant sight. “We have now studied the impact of such forest roads on the species diversity among amphibians,” explains Dr. Raffael Ernst of the Senckenberg Natural History Collections in Dresden, and he continues, “In doing so, we have moved from the bird’s-eye view to the frog’s perspective. Among other things, the international team of scientists around Ernst intended to find out whether the ecological restoration of the roads would be a sensible measure in terms of the preservation of…

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